Sat.Feb 14, 2015 - Fri.Feb 20, 2015

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Raw video of explosion after W Va. oil train derailment and fire

Green Car Congress

'Monday afternoon, a CSX oil train (109 cars, two locomotives, carrying Bakken crude from North Dakota) derailed in West Virginia, resulting in a fire, with an as yet unspecified number of cars rupturing and exploding. WVNS earlier reported that firefighters with the Boomer Fire Department said that there have been at least six explosions in connection with the fire.

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Tesla Model S Battery Life: How Much Range Loss For Electric Car Over Time?

Green Car Reports

'One of the things electric-car owners worry about is long-term battery degradation. It’s a well-established fact that lithium-ion batteries gradually lose capacity as they undergo numerous charge/discharge cycles. We owners understand that our range will gradually decline over the life of the car. The critical question is how much. DON''T.

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CMU team finds regional temperature differences have significant impact on EV efficiency, range and emissions

Green Car Congress

'Energy consumption per mile averaged across the LEAF fleet over a full year (Wh/mi). Credit: ACS, Yuksel and Michalek. Click to enlarge. An adage about batteries is that they are like humans in performing best at moderate (e.g., room) temperatures; extremes in either direction impact performance. Thus, the efficiency of battery electric vehicles can vary with ambient temperature due to battery performance—as well as the energy required for cabin climate control.

Emissions 282
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Bosch wireless sensors on pavement report available parking spaces

Green Car Congress

'At the Bosch ConnectedWorld conference in Berlin, the company unveiled wireless sensors, to be installed on pavement, that will create real-time maps of available parking spaces. These sensors recognize whether a parking space is occupied or not, and share this information via the internet. The wireless sensors installed on the pavement are built into stable, semicircular plastic housings similar to the kind often used to mark lanes on roads.

Available 263
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How serious is Norway about climate change? So much that its streetlights self-dim

emissions global warming Norway climate change carbon dioxide youtube lighting

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Study: natural gas heavy-duty trucking fleet could benefit economy, but has mixed environmental effects

Green Car Congress

'Switching from diesel fuel to natural gas may hold advantages for the US heavy-duty trucking fleet, but more needs to be done to reach the full environmental benefits, according to a new white paper released by the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis, and Rice University. The recent shale-driven emergence of natural gas as an abundant, inexpensive fuel in the US has raised the possibility of a “ momentous shift ” in the level of natural gas used in transpo

Gas 236
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NEESC releases 2015 hydrogen & fuel cell development plans for eight Northeastern states; power generation and transportation

Green Car Congress

'The Northeast Electrochemical Energy Storage Cluster ( NEESC ), administered by Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology Inc. ( CCAT ), released the 2015 Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Development Plans for each of the eight states in the Northeast US. The state-specific plans focus on hydrogen and fuel cell applications that are both technically and economically viable, and recommend specific goals for stationary and transportation hydrogen fuel cell deployment to meet economic, environmental, and e

More Trending

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ICCT reviews real-world tractor-trailer fuel economy in US, China and Europe

Green Car Congress

'The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has published a new paper reviewing and summarizing data on commercial vehicle sales and real-world fuel consumption for heavy-duty tractor-trailers in the three key markets of the US, China and Europe, which together account for more than 70% of HDV sales worldwide. The review found that in the US, average tractor-trailer fuel consumption rates for the entire fleet are approximately 39 L/100 km (6 mpg).

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nanoFlowcell unveiling QUANTiNO low-voltage electric concept vehicle; 48V, 200 km/h, range of 1,000+ km

Green Car Congress

'nanoFlowcell AG will unveil the QUANTiNO, the first QUANT low-voltage (48V) vehicle as a concept at the Geneva Motor Show in two weeks. The powertrain comprising the nanoFlow cell, buffer system and electric motors provides the QUANTiNO with a range of more than 1,000 km (621 miles). Top speed is 200 km/h (124 mph). The nanoFlowcell (a flow battery) is operated with two ionic fluids, one with a positive charge and one with a negative charge.

Concept 221
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Ford targeting smart parking as element of Smart Mobility; vehicle sensors, connectivity and big data

Green Car Congress

'At CES 2015 in January, Ford CEO Mark Fields announced “Ford Smart Mobility”—a plan to use innovation to take Ford to the next level in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience and big data. ( Earlier post.) Three of the initial projects announced as part of the plan address the ongoing problem of urban parking. Although there are “ dozens ” of apps available that can help a driver find a parking space, said Dave McCreadie, Ford’s manager of electric vehicle in

Connect 221
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Lightning Hybrids introducing hydraulic hybrid system on walk-in box truck

Green Car Congress

'Morgan Olson walk-in van with Lightning Hybrids hydraulic drive system installed for AmeriPride. Click to enlarge. Lightning Hybrids, developer and manufacturer of hydraulic hybrid systems for medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses ( earlier post ), will introduce the application of its first emission-reducing brake regeneration technology on a walk-in box truck.

Hybrid 220
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Faurecia and Accenture partner on products and services for connected and autonomous vehicles

Brief

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Juniper Research: smart city traffic systems to reduce congestion for over 700m drivers by 2019

Green Car Congress

'A recent report from Juniper Research forecast that smart city traffic management and parking projects will reduce cumulative global emissions in the order of 164 MMT (million metric tonnes) of CO 2 between 2014 and 2019—equivalent to the annual emissions produced by 35 million vehicles. Not only will this benefit the environment, but it will also significantly impact the quality of city dwellers’ lives, with some 700 million automobiles projected to be on city roads by 2019.

2019 218
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Panda Power Funds jointly to develop 1,000 MW coal to natural gas conversion project; Marcellus Shale gas

Green Car Congress

'Panda Power Funds has entered into a joint venture with Sunbury Generation LP to develop, finance, construct and operate a 1,000 megawatt natural gas-fueled, combined-cycle power project near Shamokin Dam in Snyder County, Pennsylvania. The Hummel Station generating facility will utilize the latest, most advanced emissions-control technology, making it one of the cleanest natural gas-fueled power plants in the US, according to Panda.

Coal 216
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DOE workshop report on common opportunities and challenges in expanding use of H2 and natural gas vehicles

Green Car Congress

'Hydrogen and natural gas share a number of common entry to market barriers. Image from DOE EERE Fuel Cell Technologies Office. Click to enlarge. Sandia National Laboratories, supported by the DOE’s Vehicle Technologies and Fuel Cell Technologies Offices, recently released the workshop report “Transitioning the Transportation Sector: Exploring the Intersection of Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Natural Gas Vehicles.”.

Gas 214
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Study finds methane leaks from three large US natural gas fields in line with EPA estimates

Green Car Congress

'Tens of thousands of pounds of methane leak per hour from equipment in three major natural gas basins that span Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Pennsylvania, according to airborne measurements, but the overall leak rate from those basins is only about 1% of gas production there——lower than leak rates measured in other gas fields, and in line with EPA estimates.

Gas 214
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ExxonMobil announces 6th oil discovery offshore Guyana with Ranger-1; Guyana may move from non-producer to regional powerhouse

Oil

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VW to launch technically updated Sharan MPV at Geneva; up to 15% more fuel efficient

Green Car Congress

'At this year’s Geneva International Motor Show, Volkswagen will present an extensive technical update of the Sharan MPV, of which more than 800,000 units have been sold since its launch in 1995. The update includes numerous systems to assist the driver and enhance convenience and comfort, some features being unique to this market segment, as well as new gasoline (TSI) and diesel (TDI) engines.

Fuel 214
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Waseda team develops wide-temperature, high-voltage diamond transistor that can compete with SiC and GaN

Green Car Congress

'A research group led by Professor Hiroshi Kawarada of Waseda University in Japan has developed a highly efficient hydrogen-terminated diamond MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor) that outperforms standard silicon transistors and can compete with silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors. The new transistor is expected to reduce power consumption in automobiles, trains, and robots.

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Toyota Central R&D exploring controlling catalysts at the quantum level for optimized performance and reduced costs

Green Car Congress

'The Frontier Research Center (FRC) at Toyota Central R&D Labs in Japan is investigating the development of catalysts controlled at the quantum level. This level of control should result in an an extreme reduction of precious metal usage in automotive exhaust catalysts and/or fuel cells, said Dr. Yoshihide Watanabe, program manager of the Quantum Controlled Catalysis Program at the FRC.

Toyota 207
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Navigant Research: smart city technology market to be worth more than $27.5B annually by 2023; $174.4B investment over decade

Green Car Congress

'Navigant Research forecasts that the smart city technology market will grow from $8.8 billion annually in 2014 to $27.5B annually by 2023. This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during that period of 13.5%. Cumulative global investment in smart city technologies over the decade is expected to reach $174.4 billion. According to Navigant, the smart city concept is a framing device for many of society’s most important conversations about globalization, technology, and the environment

Market 207
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ITM Power delivers 2nd-generation Power-to-Gas electrolyzer system

Green Car Congress

'ITM Power delivered the rapid response Power-to-Gas PEM electrolyzer system sold to RWE Deutschland AG within 10 weeks of receiving the order. RWE will use the unit in its Power-to-Gas demonstration plant in Ibbenbüren. The unit is the first second-generation Power-to-Gas ITM Power PEM electrolyzer system, and uses a higher current density, permitting higher hydrogen output per stack.

Gas 204
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Battery charging company CTEK licenses WiTricity technology for wireless vehicle battery charging

Green Car Congress

'Leading automotive battery charger manufacturer CTEK Corporation has entered a technology and patent license agreement with wireless power transfer technology company WiTricity, enabling CTEK to commercialize WiTricity’s patented technology to create high performance, efficient wireless charging systems for a wide range of battery charging and battery conditioning applications in various automotive and powersports applications.

Charging 204
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CSX update on W.Va. derailment: 25 cars derailed, 20 in fires

Green Car Congress

'In an update released today, CSX said that approximately 25 tank cars derailed yesterday in West Virgina ( earlier post ): 20 were involved in subsequent fires. The derailment site. Photo, office of Gov. Tomblin. Click to enlarge. CSX said that the fires around the rail cars will be allowed to burn out. When safe to do so, CSX and its experts will begin transferring oil from the damaged cars to other tanks and those tanks subsequently removed from the site.

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Update on the GM-Honda collaboration on Gen 2 Fuel Cell Propulsion System

Green Car Congress

'Overview and partitioning of the GM-Honda collaboration on fuel cell propulsion. Click to enlarge. Over the past two years, GM and Honda have been collaborating on next-generation fuel cell and hydrogen storage systems, aiming at commercialization in the 2020 time frame. ( Earlier post.) At the SAE 2015 Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Technologies Symposium in Los Angeles last week, Andrew Bosco, Chief Engineer for fuel cell engineering at GM, provided an progress update on the joint Gen 2 Fuel Cell

Honda 204
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Subaru has produced 15M horizontally-opposed Boxer engines

Green Car Congress

'Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, today announced that total cumulative production of Subaru’s horizontally-opposed Boxer engines has reached 15 million units. The milestone was achieved in the 49 th year since FHI developed the all-new horizontally-opposed water-cooled four-cylinder aluminum engine and adopted it in the Subaru 1000 compact passenger vehicle in May 1966.

Engine 204
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UK reports 25,000+ plug-in grant claims since 2010; changing criteria

Green Car Congress

'The UK Department for Transport reports that more than 25,000 plug-in car and plug-in van grant claims have been submitted since the scheme began in 2010. Even the traditionally quiet January sales market saw nearly 2000 claims; and total ULEV sales in 2014 were some 4 times the level of the previous year. The UK is now ahead of France and Germany in ULEV take-up, according to the department.

Grant 204
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Smartphones and sensors as personal, real-time pollution monitors

Green Car Congress

'Air pollution varies widely over the course of a day and by location, even within the same city. Now scientists, reporting in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology , have used smartphone and sensing technology better to pinpoint where and when pollution is at its worst. Nieuwenhuijsen et al. note that many studies have investigated people’s exposure to air pollution, which is associated with respiratory and cardiovascular problems.

Personal 203
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Valeo signs technical cooperation agreement with peiker for mobile connectivity solutions

Green Car Congress

'Valeo has signed a technological cooperation agreement with peiker acustic GmbH & Co. KG, a supplier of on-board telematics and mobile connectivity solutions. The agreement will enable Valeo to broaden its range of automotive geolocation and mobile connectivity solutions. Valeo said that its global presence and know-how in on-board electronics, allied with peiker’s technological expertise, will allow both partners to offer automakers new telematic systems adapted to the needs of this high-growt

Connect 200
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Libertine LPE free piston technology targeting power generation, waste-heat recovery and range-extended EV applications; feasibility study with PETRONAS

Green Car Congress

'UK startup Libertine LPE has developed a free piston linear power generator technology that it says overcomes the key challenges faced by earlier free piston engine schemes of motion control, emissions and power conversion efficiency. The company, which on 16 Feb won the €20,000 (US$22,800) Climate-KIC cash prize at this year’s Cleantech Innovate, will be presenting its Linear Power Systems technology to investors at CleanEquity Monaco from 5-6 March.

Waste 200
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Rolls-Royce confirms development of new all-terrain model with new aluminum architecture

Green Car Congress

'In an open letter, Peter Schwarzenbauer, Chairman and Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars (RRMC) confirmed that the company is developing an all-new Rolls-Royce all-terrain vehicle based on an all-new aluminium architecture. RRMC is a member of the BMW Group. Many discerning customers have urged us to develop this new car – and we have listened.

BMW 200
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BorgWarner supplying turbochargers for VW Group’s new 1.4L 3-cylinder diesel

Green Car Congress

'BorgWarner is supplying the advanced variable turbine geometry (VTG) turbochargers for the newly developed 1.4-liter three-cylinder diesel engines from the Volkswagen Group, for both the 55 kW (74 hp) and 66 kW (89 hp) variants. Both engines comply with Euro 6 emissions standards and improve fuel economy up to 21% compared with the predecessor vehicles.

Diesel 200
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Study finds that unregulated VSLS efficient at influencing climate through depletion of stratospheric ozone

Green Car Congress

'Although halogens released from long-lived anthropogenic substances, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), are the principal cause of the recent depletion of stratospheric ozone, recent observations show that very short-lived substances (VSLS), with lifetimes generally under six months, are also an important source of stratospheric halogens. Now, a study led by a team at the University of Leeds in the UK reports that while the amount of ozone depletion arising from VSLS in the atmosphere today is

Ozone 200
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Volvo Trucks: “Don’t Go Power Crazy”

Green Car Congress

'Volvo Trucks in North America is assisting customers in finding the best powertrain torque package for their operation through a recently launched and easy-to-use online survey. Using the theme “Don’t Go Power Crazy,” Volvo is promoting the survey with several short videos emphasizing the importance of using the right amount of power for the job. The online tool—available at www.volvotrucks.us.com/torque —poses several multiple-choice questions designed to gather key information abo

Volvo 197
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UMTRI: fuel economy improvements are present throughout the sales-weighted distributions of same MY vehicles

Green Car Congress

'Building on research that shows average fuel economy has improved 4.5 mpg between model years 2008 and 2014, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) researchers Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle have documented sales-weighted distributions for the same model year vehicles (cars, pickup trucks, vans and SUVs). The analysis shows that fuel economy improvements are present throughout the distributions of vehicle fuel economy.

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EPA and State Department to partner on overseas real-time air quality monitoring; AirNow-International

Green Car Congress

'The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and State Department signed a statement of intent to launch a new partnership between the two agencies and US diplomatic missions overseas. This partnership will enhance the availability of outdoor air quality data and expertise at a number of US diplomatic missions. The State Department says it has an interest in providing sufficient air quality information to US citizens and government personnel overseas to empower them to make informed health deci

EPA 197
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Virginia Tech launching second annual 3D printed vehicle contest

Green Car Congress

'Virginia Tech launched the second annual Spring Additive Vehicle Design Challenge, a competition for students to design a remote-controlled 3-D printed vehicle that can drive on ground and fly in the air. This year’s competition will expand beyond Virginia Tech and include participants from the US Air Force Academy, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Virginia 195